The Practical Aspect of Dhyan Yoga (Translation of a discourse of Revered Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya)

(Post 6)

(http://literature.awgp.org/akhandjyoti/2003/Sept_Oct/PracticalAspectDhyanYoga/)

The soul and God are also basically the same except for the fact that the former is expressed within a limited identity (confined to the individual self) whereas the latter is unbounded, infinite. One is manifested in a tiny domain, while the other is gigantic, unlimited. One is bounded by the thraldoms of maya, while the other is absolutely free. This is the only difference between us and The Divine.

This difference is there because of the mist of ignorance covering up the resplendence of our inner self that keeps us cut off from our eternal origin. If we refine and illumine ourselves (by the purifying radiance of virtues and righteous knowledge) we can attain our soul-reality and also God-awareness.

This is why (during the dhyan yoga) we meditate upon light, focus our attention upon the inner self, upon the sublime roots of our being, and its ultimate goal.

(You may now ask) "So Guruji! Is this why you train us to meditate upon the rising Sun?"
Yes my children! The brilliance of rising sun is a symbol of divine light. You may feel its radiance in your mind during this meditation, or may get a reflection of Goddess Gayatri. It doesn't matter if instead of sunlight you experience the deity's image or some divine reflection. That only shows the degree of progress of your dhyan.

The Practical Aspect of Dhyan Yoga (Translation of a discourse of Revered Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya)

(Post 5)

(http://literature.awgp.org/akhandjyoti/2003/Sept_Oct/PracticalAspectDhyanYoga/)

Well, so what should be the focus of dhyan?
Who to meditate upon?
One's inner self or the Almighty God?

My children! The two are not really different.
Enlightened evolution of the inner self is God.


Our ultimate spiritual evolution is  shivoham, sachchidanandoham, tatvamasi, ayamatmabrahm, pragyanambrahm.
These five great maxims of Vedanta affirm that the soul, in its absolutely pure form, itself is God.

Take the example of coal and diamond. Except for a minor difference in the atomic structure, the two are quite the same. Diamond is thus a refined form of coal.
The soul and God are also basically the same, except for the fact that the former is expressed within a limited identity (confined to the individual self), whereas the latter is unbounded, infinite. One is manifested in a tiny domain, while the other is gigantic, unlimited. One is bound by the thraldoms of maya, while the other is absolutely free. This is the only difference between us and The Divine.

The Practical Aspect of Dhyan Yoga (Translation of a discourse of Revered Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya)

(Post 4)

(http://literature.awgp.org/akhandjyoti/2003/Sept_Oct/PracticalAspectDhyanYoga/)

The Omnipresent God and our souls are also far beyond our perception.

What to say about the inner world, we can't even see many components of our own body. We can't look at our own eyes.

Okay, just try to see (without a mirror) how is your nose, how are your eyebrows? How do your eyelids look like? If you can't even see these gross external parts of the body, how will you see what is inside?

When we peep into our inner world and attempt to know it, we perform some kind of dhyan. In fact, dhyan yoga is the best method of seeing inside.

Well, so what should be the focus of dhyan? Who to meditate upon? One's inner self or the Almighty God?

My children! The two are not really different. Enlightened evolution of the inner self is God. Our ultimate spiritual evolution is  shivoham, sachchidanandoham, tatvamasi, ayamatmabrahm, pragyanambrahm.

The Practical Aspect of Dhyan Yoga (Translation of a discourse of Revered Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya)

(Post 3)

(http://literature.awgp.org/akhandjyoti/2003/Sept_Oct/PracticalAspectDhyanYoga/)

They might be manifested externally, but the basic elements of life lie deep within.

Where is our life force?

It is not outside; it is inside.

And what about the intellect through which we earn wealth and gain respect?

That also is not external, but, an internal potential. We don't see introvertly, and often keep wondering why God has befuddled mankind by giving us instruments of perception of the external things and events, but no fine-tuned instrument of knowledge of the inner world. We never notice the immense treasure of talents, virtues and divinity, hidden inside our own self. What is easily seen by us is my child, my material property, my this, my that, and what not! But we can't see our future.
 

The Practical Aspect of Dhyan Yoga (Translation of a discourse of Revered Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya)

(Post 2)

(http://literature.awgp.org/akhandjyoti/2003/Sept_Oct/PracticalAspectDhyanYoga/)  

This is why I stress on you to practice meditation along with the japa of the Gayatri Mantra. Mental concentration on some gross object,  e.g. an idol, or a picture of a deity, is most convenient for the majority of people, because, the human mind, in general, is not so developed that it could be focused, for a long stretch of time, without any visible or perceptible symbol. However, with sincere practice, one begins to realize the presence of God in his inner self, and learns to meditate upon it, without any external symbol.

What is the meaning of dhyan yoga?

Well, let us try to understand it. As you all might know, our life has two facets. One is the external, which is most familiar to us. The holes in our ears open externally; our eyes also open up externally and keep watching what is happening in the outside world. We can see the things outside but we don't even get a glimpse of what is there inside us.

Is there nothing? No my friends! The real substance, the essence is all inside us.

Science and Philosophy of various rituals of Marriage Ceremony

A Manual of Hindu Marriage
http://literature.awgp.org/book/a_manual_of_hindu_marriage/v1.1


विवाहित जीवन का अलौकिक आनन्द
http://literature.awgp.org/book/Vaivahik_Jeevan_Alaukik_Anand/v1.1

The Practical Aspect of Dhyan Yoga (Translation of a discourse of Revered Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya)

(Post 1)

(http://literature.awgp.org/akhandjyoti/2003/Sept_Oct/PracticalAspectDhyanYoga/) 

Let us all begin with the collective chanting of the Gayatri Mantra,
"Om Bhur Buvah Swah, Tatsaviturvarenyam Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi, Dhiyo Yonah Prachodayat ||"

Brothers and Sisters, I am giving you a special training of dhyan (meditation) together with Gayatri upasana. There are two modes of upasana (worship) -  those of the name and the form (of God). There can be no devotional practice without God's name and form.

These two are supposed to be the universal modes of worship. Look at any religion, you will find the use of God's name and/or form in their modes of worship. Mohammedans recite the name of Allah on tasabiha; Christian Priests chant God's name with the help of a rosary; the Arya Samajis meditate upon divine form as sunlight; the yogis of Nada Yoga concentrate upon the sublime sounds of the Omnipresent. In any case, the support of meditation (with Divine name or form) is essential for true worship.